


Where There Are Kittens . . .

by Naemi



Category: NCIS
Genre: F/M, Humor, Kittens, Prompt Fic, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-23
Updated: 2013-09-23
Packaged: 2017-12-27 10:30:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/977704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Naemi/pseuds/Naemi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Abby gets a kitten, and Tim gets fits of allergy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Where There Are Kittens . . .

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lil_1337](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lil_1337/gifts).



> Set of four drabbles and a double-drabble.  
> 

 

“No, Abs.” Gibbs shakes his head, very firmly, but Abby just turns around, the cardboard box pressed tightly against her chest, and walks out of the bullpen with bouncing pigtails.

He stares for half a minute, eyebrows knitted tightly, then he cracks a smile, snorts with amusement, and settles at his desk.

“What was that?” Ziva hisses in Tony's direction. She's fairly positive Abby just scored a major win, but because she was late this morning, Ziva only caught the epilogue.

“The lab officially has a kitten.”

“Not officially, DiNozzo. Jury's still out on this.”

“Yeah, Boss. Right. Of course.”

~ ~ ~

Tim sneezes hard, and not for the first time.

“Jesus, McGee. What the hell's wrong?”

“I don't know.” Tim sniffles. “It's . . . I—”

“Whoa!” Tony jumps backwards at the next two sneezes coming in a row, and holds out his hands in a gesture of either surrender or defense, palms forward, fingers spread. “Keep your bacillus to yourself. Ever since I caught—”

“No plague, DiNozzo,” Gibbs cuts in as he rushes through the bullpen. “McGee's been with Abby for lunch.”

Tony's face transforms into a mask of pity. “Oh dear. I see.”

“See wh _atchoo_?”

“He doesn't know?”

“Nope.”

“Oh dear.”

~ ~ ~

The lab lacks music and equally, Abby lacks caffeine, but for now it doesn't matter. Her priorities have shifted a little; she won't leave her spot beside the evidence table for anything in the world. Only tonight, though. Really. Pinkie-swear. Tomorrow, she's going to be back on track. Tomorrow, she'll be fine.

Bert, who's always made the greatest pillow, now serves the curled up ball of red and white striped fur as such, keeping it warm and cozy in the little makeshift cat bed. If asked, Abby could tell a long and vivid story about how the stuffed hippo has not only a soothing presence, but, in fact, healing powers. She must know. He saved her life once, when she had such a high fever that she could have fried a steak on her own bare stomach, had she the energy to try.

But no one asks. The lights are dim. The building's almost empty. It's night, and Abby watches over the little kitten like a mother watching over her newborn, chest swelling with love at every little twitch of ears or nose, heart heavy with the irrational fear that her little one might not live to see the morning.

~ ~ ~

The sneezing wakes her. Abby doesn't need to crack her eyes open to know, but she does nonetheless, squinting against the neon light at the figure huddled by her side.

“Is it morning?”

“You didn't come home.”

“I told you I got work to do.”

Tim nods, and sneezes again. “Sure. Whatever.”

His voice sounds as broken as his skin looks torn, as if he has tried to claw it off to escape the itch of allergy.

“How long have you been here?” Abby asks, a little more awake now, a little more aware.

Tim shrugs.

“I'm so sorry, baby.”

~ ~ ~

It isn't easy. Not with Tim having to avoid half of the apartment, nor with Mister Speckles (“What kind of name is this for a tabby?”—“A cute one?”) being locked up, or Jethro going crazy for the canapé out of reach. It's better than hiding the kitten in the lab, though, which is neither a cat-friendly environment, nor a job-friendly measure.

It won't be long, either. Mister Speckles' presence in the McGee-Sciuto household urges Tim to come forward, sooner than he planned, yet he'd planned to nonetheless.

“Where there are kittens,” Abby grins, “there's happiness.”

Tim sneezes hard. “Amen.”

**Author's Note:**

> Beta'd by the wonderful **Moit** , who also made sure that all characters were returned unharmed.
> 
> [Feedback is love.]


End file.
